


The King and his Heir's

by Anonymous



Series: Psychotic Somnus [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Brainwashing, Child Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Father/Daughter Incest, Fear, Female Reader, Grooming, Hatred, Heavy Angst, Hopeful Ending, Insanity, Justice will be served, Lies, Multi, Murder, Obsessive Behavior, One-Sided Attraction, Parent/Child Incest, Physical Abuse, Points of View, Power Play, Punishments, Rape, Reader is Somnus's children, Secrets, Sexual Abuse, Somnus is sick and vile, Threats of Violence, Time Skips, Torture, dark themes, male reader - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-01-12 23:12:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18456569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: (Sequel to Make me an Heir)Somnus has got what he wanted. Two heirs to carry on his dynasty. But how long will they suffer under his abuse before they crack?





	1. Nero: Age 13

**Author's Note:**

> Because Make me an Heir was very popular I decided to write a sequel.
> 
> Read the tags! This is not going to be a pleasant story at all. However, that being said I promise after every Somnus did to his wife and what he is going to do to his children justice will be served. That man is going to pay. 
> 
> Lets go.

If you asked me yesterday I would have told you that I love my father.

Somnus Lucis Caelum, the Founder King of Lucis.  He was the kindest most attentive father I could have possibly asked for. Despite being the King of Lucis he always found time for both me and Faria. Always ensured that we were protected and cared for. I was proud of him. He was a single parent, working to protect Lucis and us. He was my hero, my role model, he was everything that I strive to become. I thought I could never be as grand as the Mystic. The Founder King of Lucis. How could I possibly be greater then that!

And because of all of this I don’t understand what has changed.  

Yesterday was my birthday and like every morning my father greeted me with a hug. Like every birthday he took the entire day off to spend it with me and my little sister. It was one of the best days of my life. We had a picnic, cake, I even got to try some ale. For my present, my father got me a new sword. He introduced me to Lord Amicitia’s, his new Shield’s, son. He is going to be my Shield when I become King.  

Yesterday was perfect and now everything isn’t.

All I did was tap his door and when I entered he screamed at me. Telling me to fuck off and not to bother him again. He has never treated me like that before. Because of that I did what I was told but that wasn’t the worst part of the day.

Far from it.

I was called to his office three hours later and when I got in there he told me to get some of his paper work from out of his walk in cupboard. I did what I was told and as soon as I walked in there the door shut behind me. I started to panic and began banging on the door. I hate the dark. I am terrified of it. My chest began to tighten, and tears began to fall from my eyes. I felt my heart rate increase and my body start to quiver with pure fear. I begin to scream for my father. My voice is nothing but teary. I dare not look over my shoulder, in fear what might be behind me. All I can stare at is the door handle that is refusing to unlock the door. I feel myself begin to hyper ventilate and all I want is to be out of here. Why isn’t my father helping me? Can’t he hear how distressed I am!? He must be able too.

I am still banging on the door and pressing my body up against it when I hear a loud thud from the other side. My eyes fill with hope, that has got to be my father! He has come to let me out. I stop banging on the door but the door doesn’t open.

A second thud follows. This time it is a lot louder and more aggressive then the last. My father’s voice follows and he sounds angry.

“You’re thirteen now Nero! Grow some fucking balls!”

“Let me out. Please Papa please!” I start to cry louder as I realise he is just out side the door. Did he lock it?

“It’s only the dark. Stop whining.”

“I don’t like it!” I cry again.

He knows I hate it. It was just the other week I ran to him crying because I thought there was a monster in my room. I can’t see what is lurking in the dark and he was gentle with me then. He told me that he killed all the monsters and they disappeared after the Adagium was imprisoned on Angelguard. He is aware of my fear. Why is he doing this? I begin to hiccup because of my tears and all I want is to be let out. Why won’t he let me out?

“DADDY PLEASE LET ME OUT!”

“NERO SHUT THE FUCKING HELL UP!”

My father screams at me that time. It sounds as if the Infernian has possessed him and I stop crying. I suddenly feel very scared. Scared of my own father. The man who is supposed to protect me from my fears and save me from them. I force my tears down and whimper in a terrified voice.  

“But I’m scared of the dark! Please Daddy!”

“That is the point. We can’t have the future King of Lucis being afraid of something so trivial as the dark. You are staying in there until you stop acting like a baby.”

I hear him walk away after that. He is really going to leave me in here? Tears of fear fall from my face again and I sit on the floor and silently cry so that he can’t hear me. I don’t want to make him angry again. I bring my knees to my chest and rest my face on top of them. I don’t stop crying and I dare not look into the darkness that is surrounding me. I don’t understand it. Yesterday, he was normal. He was my father. He was my everything and now… what have I done to deserve this? I don’t think I have done anything. I hope I haven’t. I want to say sorry, so he will let me out. But if I speak I fear he will just scream at me again. So I remain silent.

It feels like I have been in here for hours when I hear him walk over to the cupboard again.

I quickly stand up, wiping my tears, and put on a brave face. The lock turns and the door opens. I see my father standing there looking down at me with… disgust? He has never looked at me like that before. I gulp and don’t say a word. Why do I suddenly feel so frightened? I shouldn’t be, he is my father.

“You done?” He questions. But it feels more like an order. The way he is saying it… it feels like I am in the wrong. 

I clear my throat and nod. “Yes, father.”

“Good.”

He walks away again, and I quickly follow. He sits at his desk and points to where I am to stand. I stand in front of his desk and I try my hardest to forget about what has just happened. He stares at me. He has never looked at me with disappointment before. He continues to speak and the words he speaks are anything but kind: “I will not have a child of mine being scared of anything.”

“I won’t be scared anymore.” I say lightly. I don’t want to be locked in a dark cupboard again.

“No, you won’t. Because if you are I will leave you in there overnight. Do you understand?”

“Yes father.”

It feels like I am being punished. I don’t understand why. What have I done? We were on good terms yesterday. We have always been on good terms. Why all of a sudden is he treating me like this? Before I can ask to take my leave, as I don’t want to be around him much longer, he speaks again.

“Another thing, You, need to learn to stop calling me that in public. From now on you either address me as your Majesty or Sir.”

“Why?” Have I upset him that much that I can’t even call him father anymore. What have I done?

He sounds shocked. Like I have committed a sin. All I did was ask a question. But as he continues talking his voice becomes more aggressive and more demanding. “Why?! Because you are the Heir Apparent to the Lucian Throne. I am not handing it over to a wuss. I would had it over your sister before you, at the moment. Only when we are in the company of your sister may you call me father. Furthermore, you are not to question me. You aren’t King yet boy, and you will never question me again.”

“Yes, fa- sir.” I stumble on my words. The fear that I felt before had only intensified and I just want out. I just want to leave.

He waves his hand for me to leave and I turn around as fast as I can to vacate his office. However, because I am not thinking about what I am doing I walk into a stand that has a vase on top of it. Time begins to slow down as I see the vase fall from its stand and I close my eyes when it collides with the floor. It smashes into pieces and I flinch when I hear my father shout.

“You, stupid boy! Come here now!”

_Stupid?_

He has never called me that before either. I gulp, and do exactly as I am told. When I reach him I look into his eyes. His eyes used to give me nothing but comfort. Nothing but safety and protection. Now all I see is hate, fury and disappointment. I try to apologise for my actions and inform him it was an accident. But before I can do that I feel a burning sensation on my cheek and my entire face is forced to one side.

He hit me. He just hit me.

I don’t cup my cheek I turn back to face him and I feel my hands begin to shake as I am terrified. I am in shock and my father isn’t wearing a single emotion on his face. He just stares at me and I try my hardest not to move away from him. The reason why he locked me in that cupboard was because I was frightened. I don’t want him doing it again because I am scared of him.

“Go to your room immediately. I do not want to see you until dinner, do you understand me.” He says plainly, like nothing had happened.

“Yes, sir.” I nodded quickly.

“LEAVE!” That time he shouted and I was more careful when I left the room.

I closed the door behind me and the moment I knew it was shut more tears stream down my face. I begin to run through the palace to my rooms and pass a lot of guards on the way. One of them tried to stop me and ask what the matter was but I told him to leave me alone and I continued to run. My father told me to go to my room and I have to. I don’t want him to hit me again. I don’t want him to hurt me again.

As soon as I reach my room I jump on to my bed and hide under the covers and continue to cry.

My father was… terrifying. I am scared of the dark but never have I felt so much fear being under his gaze. It felt as if he hated me. That he didn’t want anything to do with me. But he can’t possibly hate me can he? He said he loved me yesterday. He was my father yesterday and today he has been nothing but a brute. If anyone else had done that to me, father would have had them executed. I can’t go and speak to Uncle Gilgamesh anymore he’s not here. Father sent him away to do something. That is why Lord Amicitia has replaced him. But I can’t tell him. Faria and I don’t fully trust him yet.

I lay there crying until I have no more tears left and I realise it must have been something I did. I must have done something to offend him yesterday or today. I will say sorry at dinner. That may cheer him up. I don’t want my father to be like that again. I don’t want him to be angry again.

Light then appears and I see my little sister in front of me with a smile on her face. She has taken the cover off of me the little monkey.

“Nero. Why so sad?” she asks sweetly and gives me a comforting smile.

I love my sister. Father always says she looks like mother. With her chocolate brown hair and light green eyes. Not only that, father says she has her personality too. She is very kind and only ever tries to make myself and father happy. Because of that I don’t want to make her sad. I can’t tell her what father just did. He is everything too her.

Instead I smile and lie.

“I am not Faria.”

I can tell she doesn’t buy it. Instead she wraps her arms over my shoulders and pulls me in for a hug. “It’s okay Neo. A hug will make it all better.”

“Thanks Fairy.”

I gladly hug her back. I don’t know what I would do without my little sister.


	2. Faria: Age 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anything Somnus does in this chapter is pure manipulation and is out right wrong and disgusting.  
> I promise he is going to pay for everything including what he did to his wife.

Over the years I have noticed that my father’s and my brother’s relationship has been strained.

I don’t know why. Whenever I bring it up with Nero he tells me that they are just two very different people and that they clash. When I ask father about it he just smiles at me and tells me not to worry. It is saddening to witness. They used to be so close. I still have a good relationship with my father. He always complements me, and he still makes time to see me. It could be because I am the youngest, but I know that is not the case. No, it is because whenever he looks at me I know he sees my mother. Father doesn’t talk about mother with Nero. He only ever mentions her when we are together and always compares me to her. It is probably because he misses her. I don’t have a clue what their relationship was like but from the way he dotes over me I can only assume that he loved her very much.

I wish I knew my mother. I blame myself for her death. If I wasn’t born she would still be here, and Nero would have his mother and father would still have his wife. Every time I tell them that, they tell me I am being stupid and that I should never feel guilty for being born. Father always reassures me that there was nothing anyone could have done to prevent her death and she would have chosen my life over hers. Sometimes the way he talks about her…. it’s like he worshipped the ground she walked on. He always seems sad when I bring her up in conversation.

I like sitting with father and talking about mother, Nero and well anything. He always ensures that we are well looked after with tea, cakes, biscuits and anything sweet that his new Shield deems fit for consumption. I like Lord Amicitia he is nice enough, but Gilgamesh was like my uncle. I do miss him. We don’t talk about that though. I know talking about Gilgamesh upsets father, for some reason it upsets him a little more than talking about mother.

I take a sip of my tea as I am sitting next to father on the same sofa. He never acts formal in front of me. I feel his hand run through my hair and I turn to face him. He always does that. He has been doing it a lot more recently. 

“Have you done something new with your hair?” He questions staring at it.

“No. It’s always like this.” I laugh.

“I must be getting old.”

“You’re not old.”

“Thank you.”

I smile brightly at him. He’s not even 50 yet. Yes, the Crystal may be affecting his health, but he never lets anyone see that. I am proud that he pushes on through the pain. I don’t know if I would be able too. He is still running his hand through my hair when he looks at my face.

He softly smiles at me before speaking in an almost whisper. “Smile like that again.”

“Huh?”

“When you smiled like that you looked like your mother.” Seeing the sorrow in his eyes I feel guilty again. I feel like I owe him any request he makes when he talks about mother. I smile without a second thought and in turn his eyes light up. Nero has father’s eyes and apparently, I have my mothers. I guess it is a little painful for him seeing in his words ‘an echo’ of her. “Perfect. I am so lucky to have you as my daughter.”

“I am lucky to have you as my father.”

“Your brother doesn’t seem to think so.” He stops touching my hair then. He sounded genuinely hurt when he said that.

I can’t help but feel terrible for him. Nero and my father have a complicated relationship and I just want things to go back to how they used to be. Before Nero turned 13. By the sorrow on his face I think he wants that as well. I place a hand on his arm and smile at him. I am in awe of my father, I always have been, and it pains me to see him sad. “Ignore him. He is being a moody teenager.”

“And you’re not.” He says through a laugh.

“I am an exception.”

“You really are my darling.” He places a hand on my cheek. He rubs his thumb across my cheek and stares into my eyes.

I know he is seeing my mother now. He locks his eyes with mine and there is only sorrow present. His eyes even begin to water and I start to panic. This is the first time I have ever seen him cry and it is not something I ever wanted to witness.

Even though his touch is gentle I… I don’t like it. It doesn’t feel right. But I don’t want to see him so heartbroken and above or else I don’t want to hurt his feelings. Instead I just stare into his eyes and try to forget about this negative feeling that has struck me so suddenly. When he speaks again, it doesn’t sound like his voice. It sounds so distorted and weak. So much so that I want to cry myself.  

“Your eyes they remind me so much of her…”

He trails off again and rests his forehead against mine. There is an awful feeling starting to form in my gut and I don’t understand what has brought it on. He always does this to me. He always begs for comfort by resting his forehead against mine… but this time it feels different. I feel his breath brush over my nose and lips and he digs his head further against mine.

I want to say something to comfort him. To tell him it’s okay and no one blames him for what happened. I don’t blame him. It was my fault. If I wasn’t born this wouldn’t of happened.

I go to tell him exactly that, but he cuts me off. “Father-”

“I love you.”

I don’t even process what is happening until a few seconds after he places his lips against mine. I feel my heart skip a beat and my eyes go wide. I am in shock. Utter shock. My father is kissing me.

My first instinct is to move backwards but he has placed his hand on the back of my neck and is pushing me closer towards him. He just seems to become more… aggressive. I feel his breath stain my lips every time he barely pulls away from me. But he doesn’t give me time to pull away, he quickly places his lips back on mine and he is almost acting passionate towards me. His mouth tastes bitter and I know for certain this is wrong. We shouldn’t be doing this, I know we shouldn’t. I place my hands on his chest and try to push him away but with his other arm he snakes it around my waist and pulls me closer.

I attempt to push him away again, but I feel tears on his cheeks. He is crying…. That’s when I decide to stop pushing him away and allow him to do this. He is clearly not thinking straight and is seeing my mother. This is wrong, but I can’t see him upset. He has never wanted to see me upset or hurt in anyway, and I can’t bring myself to do the same to him. 

After a few more seconds he stops kissing me and places both of his hands on my face. He takes in a series of slow deep breaths and hums in, what I can only describe as, delight as he goes back to resting his forehead against mine.

I am beyond confused. I would never- we should never- he could never- I don’t understand. I just don’t get it. That is wrong. We are family. He is my father- I don’t get it. 

He still holds on to my face, but he pulls his head away from mine. He smiles at me, but that smile is unsettling.  His blue eyes look worried and his voice is exactly the same as he questions me in a light tone. “Are you alright?”

“You kissed me.” Is all that I can say. Because what else can I say? What does anyone say in that situation?

“That’s because I love you. You are everything to me, and I would do anything for you.” He says like this is normal. I blink and open my mouth with shock.

“You’re my Father-”

“Shh, shh, shh.”

He silence me by pressing his lips against mine again. My heart rate increases, and I just don’t know how to think. How to feel, or what to do. I know he is hurting I can see that. But- my head is all over the place I just don’t know what to say. The kiss doesn’t last for long that time. He soon pulls away and leaves one hand reasting on my face. 

“I know… but it feels right. You have always been my favourite and I don’t know if I could live without you my sweet girl. You are the reason I get up every morning and I just wanted to show you how much I care and how much you mean to me.” He is speaking in a weak tone again. My heart breaks.

I-I- what do I do? I know that was wrong. But he- he is my father and I don’t like seeing him upset. I don’t like seeing anyone sad. It makes me feel awful and I feel if I reject this gesture it will only cause him more heartache. I can’t have that on my conscious not when I can prevent him from hurting.

I nod and swallow my discomfort as he begins stroking my face. “I love you too father.”

I do love him. He is my dad, I love him like any child would love their parent. He is my only parent after all and he has always been there for me. After all the times I cried because I was scared, or all the times I had a temper tantrum he was there to calm me down. He has always been there for me and I don’t know what I am going to do when he dies. I-I- just wish I understood what was happening. I wish I understood how he is feeling and what he is thinking, then maybe I can help him properly.

He smiles again and lets go of my face. Instead he takes both of my hands in his and looks directly into my eyes. “Let’s keep this a secret though. I don’t want you getting into trouble for this.”

“Trouble?”

“Yes. I am the King. Even if you are my daughter, I am only allowed to show this level of affection to one person and she’s dead. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

I feel my legs begin to shake. I knew this wasn’t right and that this had something to do with mother. And I shake with fear. I have heard stories of what happens when you commit a sin. A sin against the gods. That is what this is, right? But he says it feels right. My stomach says otherwise. It feels twisted and I- this is too much. Too much for my brain to comprehend. I don’t want to see him in trouble. I don’t want to get in trouble.

“Okay.” I say trying to hide the discomfort in my voice.

“That’s my girl.”

I leave not long after that and I go straight to my chambers. And I can’t forget about what had transpired in my father’s quarters. On the way I am stopped by Nero. I haven’t seen him today and he looks as happy as ever. My face isn’t though, and he notices straight away.

“Fairy. Are you okay?” He asks, voice deep with concern.

I should tell him. I know I should. But I remember what father said. I will get into trouble. He will get into trouble. I know it was wrong, but he was so broken and him kissing me was the only thing that made him happy. That cheered him up. I can’t cause him anymore upset, and I can lie to Nero. Even if it is a lie it will make him happy. No one needs to get hurt in this.

“Yes, don’t worry brother. I am just tired.”

“Are you sure?”

He always has the ability to make me smile. He may only be older then me by a year and a couple of months, but he takes the role of the protective big brother very seriously. That is why it always brings father joy to see us happy and laughing together. It reminds him of how he and his brother used to be. I nod at him.

“Yes. Don’t worry about me. You have your tournament coming up. Tell me about that.”

We walk together through the palace and talk about his future as King. We talk about mother and my future of being cast off somewhere to get married to some foreign Lord. That is what we have always been destined to become. That is the lives of the Prince and Princess of Lucis. That is what we are used because we have known no different. But after what father did today…

Something deep and dark roots itself in my stomach.  Because of that kiss… I don’t have any idea what my future holds any longer.


	3. Nero: Age 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter is going to be kind of graphic in terms of gore and blood. 
> 
> With that being said let's continue.

“NEO!”

I look up and see Faria running towards me. I barely have time to open my arms as she flings her arms over my shoulders. I am a little surprised that she is here and that she is actually hugging me.

I don’t know why but since last year, she has started to withdraw herself from me. From everyone in fact. She stopped letting me hug her. I tried to talk to her about her odd behaviour, but she always shrugs it off and tells me not to worry. But how can I stop worrying? She is my little sister, it’s my job to worry about her. It’s nice to be hugging her again but that still begs the question. Why is she here?  

I pull away from her and smile. “Hey Fairy. You are supposed to be with father and Lord Amicitia.”

“I know I came to wish you luck.” She punches me in the arm and laughs at me.

“Thanks sis.”

“Don’t worry whatever happens, know that I am proud of you.” I roll my eyes as she is referring to the tournament that I am about to take part in.

“You are too sweet for this world.” I shake my head at her. Despite the fact that we have started to drift apart over the past year she still has the ability to make me smile. She has always possessed that power. It’s nice to know at least one member of my family still loves me. She still doesn’t know about that. She is still blissfully unaware of a brute of a father we share.

After my 13th birthday father has been nothing but ruthless and nasty towards me. He keeps calling me a failure and hits me when I do something wrong. I know I should make a stand and fight back but he is the King. It would be treason if I laid a hand on him. I can’t prevent him from hurting me, I can’t prevent him from doing anything. That is the reason why I offered to participate in this tournament, so I can prove to my father I am not a weakling. That I am fit to rule our kingdom after he is gone. I am strong. I may not be physically strong but mentally I definitely am. That’s what this country needs. Someone who is willing to listen and find alternate routes. Not stand there and let everything burn because it is the easiest option. Today I am going to prove my worth to him and the rest of Lucis.

“I’ll see you later.” I say before giving Faria another hug. Once I let go, she rushes off to stand with our father and I begin to prepare myself for a fight.

Nothing went as planned.

It did to start off with. I took down every opponent that came my way and proved to the nation that I was worthy of my name. That I was worthy to bare the title of the Prince of Lucis. All the while father glared at me and watched my every move like a hawk. It was off putting but Faria’s smile and cheers made me forget about him.

Then the last match came. I was up against Lord Manius’s son. He was only two years older then me and he should have been easy to take down. But I failed. I had become too tired during my last fight that I tripped up and he overpowered me. As soon as the fight was over I looked to my father and he stared daggers at me. He suddenly rose from his chair and everyone was forced to their feet out of respect to their King. Not once did he take his eyes off me and he shook his head in utter disappointment. He left without saying another word, leaving Faria standing alone in the royal suite. I bow my head and hit the ground with my fist. I leave not long after my father and Faria follows me. The entire time she is trying to reassure me that it didn’t matter and that it was only one fight. But I know for certain father will not listen to that. He will not listen to whatever I have to say. I failed him. That is all he is going to see.

Not long after, I am called to the throne room. When I step into the grand hall only my father is present. He is sitting on the throne with his blade out. I can’t help but gulp when he locks eyes with me. He looks beyond angry and on principal I walk to the bottom of the steps and fall to my knees in ‘respect.’

Nothing is said for a while and I feel a wave of anxiety seep into my chest. I know he still looking at me. It is unsettling, and I wish I didn’t have to bow down to him like I was one of his subjects. I am his son. I am his eldest child and I shouldn’t be grovelling at his feet. I should be by his side and he should be trusting me with the on goings of the Kingdom. Instead, here we are in a room with tension that could snap like a thread. And if the past is anything to go by… it won’t take long for him to lose it.

“You, disappointment of a child!” His voice sounds like venom as he shouts at me. I look up and see him walking down the steps, with his sword in hand, and not once has he taken his eyes off of me. I stand up and take a few paces back. The words he speaks hurt more than any beating I have received from him could. “How dare you embarrass me like that! How dare you embarrass Lucis like that!”

“It was an accident.” I blurt out forgetting how I have been ordered to act around him. All I want is for him to be proud of me… and he’s not.

“An accident! You got your arse kicked by some common Lord’s son! The power you have was granted to us by the Gods, you pathetic child! That failure has made you weak!”

“I am not weak!” I shout back without thinking.

This is how I know I am definitely his son. I have a temper on me, but it is nothing compare to his. And I can control mine. At least I think I can.   

“Prove it. Fight me.” 

“Father-”

“I mean it. Come on son. Attack me! Do it now!” He gets into his fighting stance and I am left with little option but to fight. I get my weapon out and take in a deep breath. I know I am no match for him, even if the Crystal is affecting his overall health. He’s too powerful.

Just as I predicted, I am no match for him. He knows it, I know it. The entire world knows it. He was trained by Gilgamesh and because of that, there was no way I could beat him. He is relentless when it comes to fighting. I am only able to block five of his strikes before he has disarmed me. He doesn’t even hesitate as he kicks my right knee in and forces me to the ground with another kick to the chest. I shouldn’t be surprised. He has never hesitated in hitting me, punching me, kicking me and beating me in the past. So why should this time be any different. It isn’t. He continues to kick me in the chest as hard as he possibly can, not caring as I grunt in agony. I try to shield my self with my arms but he ends up kicking me in the balls. I yelp in pain and he doesn’t react. He just continues to violently kick me and watches as I try and fail to defend myself.

He starts speaking and with every word that comes out of his mouth it is plastered with aggression. “When you are King your life will be in danger. When you are King people will do whatever they can to hurt you!”

“Stop please!” I beg before he can kick me again.

He doesn’t listen and instead of going for my chest he kicks me in the face.

The pain is nearly unbearable and as soon as his foot leaves my face I feel blood gush out of my nose. I groan and as I open my mouth I taste my own blood. Because he has kicked me so hard I can barely see what is going on. I blink but I am forced to grunt in pain again, as he has gone back to stomping on my chest.

“Please? Do you think the enemy will stop? They would kill you for asking such a request you coward. You look into the face of death and you do not run from it. A King pushes onward, always accepting the consequences and never looking back.”

“Stop!”

He does listen. Only briefly though.

Instead of kicking me, he grabs the back of my neck and smashes my face into the floor. I hear my nose crunch and I let out a scream as he repeats this action over and over again. The grip he has on my neck is so tight it feels like he is going to break it. He doesn’t stop. He smashes my face into the floor again and I feel hot blood run down my face. He has definitely cut my forehead open and he doesn’t care. I am forced to close my eyes, so I don’t see my blood on the marble floor. At some point he starts talking. But because of how many times he has hit my head against the floor I barely hear him. I more than likely have a concussion and around his words all I can hear is white noise. 

“You are no King! You never will be if you can’t handle this!”

He stops ramming my face into the floor and yanks me up to look at him. I can barely open my eyes because my blood is dripping over them. I swear I hear him laugh but before he can force my head against the floor again someone else’s voice fills the room.

“Your Majesty.”

“WHAT!” My father screams back. He hasn’t let go of me yet.

“The Oracle is here. Shall I send her in?”

“Thank you, Amicitia. And yes, but first, get this disappointment out of my sight.”

He let’s go of me and I can’t stop my face from hitting the floor once more. I grunt again, and I lay there for a couple of seconds. My head and body are aching, and I feel my eyes begin to dip due to the pain.

However, I am denied the chance to pass out on the floor. I feel someone lift me up so that I am standing up right. They push me a little to get my feet moving and when I start walking I don’t stop. I can’t see where I am going and the person, I assume it is Lord Amicitia, is guiding me in the correct direction to my quarters. I don’t know how long it takes us to get to my room but Lord Amicitia helps me into bed and instead of leaving and rushing back to his King he sits by my bed. He doesn’t allow me to close my eyes and keeps nudging me every time I try to close them.

I don’t remember him talking to one of the servants, but he must of. Because he is cleaning my face with a wet cloth and it doesn’t sting when he washes my face. It should be killing but the sharp sting it is dulled by the pain that I am already feeling.

When he finishes washing my face he finally talks, or I am finally able to hear him, and he sounds concerned. 

“Your Highness are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” I snap. I shouldn’t be snapping at him. He has shown me nothing but kindness and this is how I am repaying him for it. I mean he probably has to suffer more than I do. He is his shield. There is no telling what my fath- what Somnus has done to the man in front of me.

I hope he hasn’t done anything to him. I swear to the Gods if he has-.

He’s not my father anymore. Not after all of this. I have no feelings left for that man. This morning I wanted him to be proud of me and now I wish he would hurry up and kick the bucket. It may be wrong of me to wish that but he is evil. Pure evil. How could Lucis love Somnus Lucis Caelum? How could Faria or my mother love him? How did I ever love him? Finally accepting it I shake my head and turned to face Lord Amicitia. I breathe through the pain as I warn him. “For your own safety. Don’t mention this to his Majesty. Please.”

“As you wish, your Highness.”

With that he leaves, and I am finally allowed rest.

When I wake up again, I feel that my hand is being squeezed. I stir before looking to the left of me and I see Faria staring at me with worry and tears streaming down her face. She doesn’t even give me time to comfort her before she starts crying and speaking in a voice littered with worry.

“Brother. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I lie.

I am in total agony, but she doesn’t need to know that. I must look like a complete mess but… I don’t want to hurt her. She still thinks that our fa- her father is a saint. He’s not. For the time being he may be treating my sister right, but if he ever lays one hand on her…

I will make him pay.

I am drawn from my thoughts by her voice again. And it just sounds more worried than before. “What happened?”

“I- I fell down the stairs.” It’s a good enough lie. It would explain my face.

“Don’t lie to me.”

“Fairy I am not. Honestly there is nothing for you to worry about.”

She stays with me for a while after that. We don’t talk much, she just wants to make sure that I am alright. Faria is too good for this world. I am so lucky to have such a kind, caring, lovely, and amazing sibling. If Somnus knows that she is in here, I will probably get yet another beating. Because of that I know for certain if I tell Faria that it was Somnus who did this to me, he will only end up hurting her. I won’t let that happen.

I need to get stronger. I have to be able to defend myself and Faria if Somnus ever thinks for one second that he can hurt her- I will die before I allow him to do that to her. Even if it means killing him in the process….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is going to be dark. Very dark. Just a pre-warning and yes it will be told from Faria's point of view. If the tags are anything to go by, you might already know what is coming next....


	4. Faria: Age 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was really uncomfortable to write. I had to re-write it three times because it just felt wrong. Of course, what Somnus has done is wrong. It is beyond wrong. It is sickening, cruel, manipulative and just fowl. People like him deserve a punishment worse then death. 
> 
> This chapter is set the same day as that Chapter 3 was.

I don’t believe Nero.

You don’t get cuts and bruises like that from falling down the stairs. He looks like a bear has mauled him. Father won’t be happy about this. Nero told me that father already knows and he was the one to send him to his rooms to recover. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a public execution tomorrow for whoever did that to my brother. Our father cannot honestly believe that happened because he took a nasty fall down a set of stairs! When I am called to dinner I bring it up with father. Like always I sit to his left but now the seat opposite me is empty. And father seems very calm about it.

“Father. Do you know what happened to Nero?” I ask making the worry I am feeling known to him.

He glances up from his food and lets out a heavy sigh. “He fell down the stairs, sweetheart.”

“But you don’t get cuts like that from falling down the stairs. It looks like someone beat him up.”

I feel a hand rest on my knee and it makes my blood run cold. Ever since last year he has been doing that a lot. Touching my legs, my neck, my face, my chest even. And any chance he gets he kisses me. I don’t want it but whenever I reject this type of affection he gets upset. He claims that I don’t love him. I do he is my father after all, but I know the kissing and touching is wrong. However, just like the first time I can’t bring myself to see him sad. I force down a gulp as he stares at me. I don’t speak either I wait for him to do it.

“Faria. Do you really think I would let anyone walk around Lucis, freely, if they hurt my son like that?”

I shake my head. “No.”

But it still doesn’t feel right. I am missing something here I know I am. I just don’t know what it is. Because whenever I bring up brother to father he goes quiet. The same thing happens with Nero, and they just tell me not to worry. But it just seems odd, that after a tournament Nero ends up battered and bruised. It would have made more sense if that happened during the fight no-

I am pulled from my thoughts as I feel my father’s hand move further up my leg. It doesn’t stop moving until it is placed at the very top of my thigh and then he moves it in between my legs. I can’t help but squeeze my legs together to try and stop him but he pays no mind to that. His strong hand forces them apart and through the fabric of my dress he starts massaging me. I feel my chest tighten and I force my lips to seal. He has never done that before… and I feel almost scared.

He speaks again. But my thoughts are solely on his hand. I-I- don’t know what to do. “Sweetheart, I would never let anything bad happen to you nor your brother. I love you both too much to allow that.”

I just nod and he soon removes his hand and goes back to eating. I let go a small breath of relief and quickly eat my own food. After that I just want to go back to the safety of my room. I just want to sleep. As soon as I am finished I do exactly that. I say goodnight to my father and rush back to my room and put on my nightgown. I should have said goodnight to Nero, but he will probably be asleep. I get into bed and close my eyes and I slowly drift off.

At some point during the night I wake up unable to fall back to sleep. I don’t know what the time is all I know is that I am going to be tired tomorrow. My brain is very awake and I just have to lay there until dawn. However, within an hour of lying there I hear the door open. I hear the creek and I immediately spring up and look to see who it is. No one is allowed in my rooms unless it is my handmaiden or there is an emergency, and on both accounts, they would have knocked before entering. No one dared entered the Princess of Lucis’s chambers without fearing the consequences. My father will be livid with whoever has come in unannounced.  

“Faria, sweetheart. You’re up.”

That’s my father’s voice and his voice is a mixture of concern and… disappointment.

Now I am confused. It’s night time. Out of everyone in the palace he is always the first to fall asleep and the last to wake up. What is he doing here? I shuffle on my bed and watch as he walks over to me and sits on my bed. The dark makes it hard to see him, but I can still make out his silhouette.

“Is everything okay?” I ask innocently. He must have a good reason for coming in here. He never comes into my rooms.

“Yes. I wanted to see you.”

My stomach drops when he says that. Something in his voice is very unsettling and I can’t prevent myself from recoiling my body away from the end of the bed. Something isn’t right. I can feel it in my gut. As to what I don’t have a clue. My father gently places a hand on my face and his touch feels like a knife, cold and sharp. This time, so I don’t cause him any upset, I have to remain still. After all he said he does this because he cares. Because he loves me…. why doesn’t it feel like that though?

“I am so proud of you my darling. You remind me so much of your mother.” He hums as he runs his thumb over my cheek. He has done this so many times before, but this feels almost sickening. And I can’t explain why.

“I know you tell me that every day.” I say trying to distract myself from all of these awful emotions and feelings that are swimming around in my stomach.

“That’s because whenever I see you, I see her. Everything down to your hair, your height, your hands, your face, your eyes. You are beautiful. You are absolutely gorgeous.”

“Do you miss mother?”

“Only when I am not with you.” 

He moves his hand to the back of my neck and pulls me towards him, and like so many times before he kisses me on the lips. I feel him smirk into the kiss and I feel my blanket move off of me. I don’t pull away from the kiss. I can never bring myself to upset him. If history is anything to go by, he should stop in a moment, maybe touch my legs, and then leave. I feel him lick my lips to encourage me to join in. Because I can’t bare to see him hurt in anyway, I do. But as I do, his kisses get rougher and he pulls me closer towards him.  

With his free hand I feel it land on my hip and I am taken off guard as he forces me to lay down on my bed with him on top of me.

A cold shiver runs down my spine. He has never done this before. His lips are still harshly pressed against mine and with the hand he used to push me down, he grabs my hand and places it on the back of his neck. He has done that before. It’s so he can make this… kiss deeper. My father tells me when I do this, it proves to him how much I care and love him.  I do care for him. He is my father after all and the only parent I have. He is the only person to ever make me feel special. Other then Nero, he is the only person that has ever made me feel wanted, even if he shows it through this. I know it’s wrong, all of it is wrong.

My chest begins to tighten again as I feel something hard digging into my thigh. I manage to break the kiss to see what the hell that is but he blocks my view by kissing my neck and biting my skin. We have never kissed like that before and it hurts. He is actually hurting me. I try to move my neck away from him to get him to stop but he suddenly takes a clump of my hair in his hand and forces it to one side. I hear myself breathe heavily. I don’t want this. I want him to stop. But he has just got more aggressive.

“Father, can you sto-”

“Shh, shh, shh.” He hushes me though the rough kisses he places on my neck. “Let this happen.”

Let what happen? I don’t understand what he is on about. All I know that this is a step too far and we need to stop. It’s sinful, it’s unclean, it’s shameful.

“Father this is-” I stop speaking as I feel his hand reach under my night gown and his fingertips press in-between my legs. I immediately tense up and wince in fear. No. No. No. We can’t do this. We can’t. My breathing increases and I try desperately to keep my legs closed.

He stops kissing me and roughly grabs my chin and forces it in his direction. I am underneath his gaze and he doesn’t take his eyes off of mine. I feel my self begin to tremble and I don’t see comfort in his eyes any longer. There is something dark present.  He shakes his head and brings his face closer to mine. He rests his nose against mine and the amount of pressure he is forcing on my body is painful. I gulp and when he speaks… it doesn’t sound like my father any longer.

“Don’t do that. Keep them open for me.”

I tense up again as he forces my legs apart and inserts a finger inside of me. I whimper in fear and pain and I begin to shake my head. He doesn’t seem to care, and he forces our lips to lock once more. His finger begins to move, and it is beyond painful. It burns, and he is just shoving it in and out of me. That is the first time anyone has done that, and I don’t like it. I hate it. All I want is for it to stop. But he doesn’t. And when a second finger is inserted I begin to struggle. I don’t want this! I just want him to stop! We shouldn’t be doing this.

He removes his fingers and grabs both of my wrists with his big hands. Again, I am forced to look into his eyes and I just want to hide. My heart is beating faster then it has ever done before and I want to scream. I want him to get off of me but as I go to shout nothing comes out of my mouth. I am too afraid to scream. I am too afraid to shout. All I can do is shake with fear and stare into his eyes.

“It’s alright sweetheart. Daddy’s got you.” His voice sounds comforting. But everything he is doing isn’t. “This may hurt a bit. But I will try my hardest not to hurt you.”

He quickly forces my wrists into one of his hands and I let out a small shriek. I am so scared all I can do is look up at the ceiling and wait. I can feel my chest racing up and down and tears begin to stream over my face. All the while I think about how much I don’t want this. I hold my breath when something hard and hot is poking in-between my legs. I glance down and see my father has pleasure smeared across his face. My eyes go wide, and I automatically tense up as I feel him force himself into me as hard as he possibly can. I shriek in pain and he is quick to silence me by forcing his lips to mine again. I can’t help but cry and I can’t believe my father would do something like this. That he would do something like this to me…

He removes his face from mine and brings his other hand to my wrist again and locks them firmly either side of my head. “Don’t worry Faria. You will enjoy this.”

I try to speak and tell him no, but no words escape me.

He rocks into me and it is beyond painful. It burns. It burns so much. It is so uncomfortable and every time he forces himself into me, my entire body recoils in an attempt to get away from him but the grip he has on my wrists prevents me from moving. I try to stop myself, but I can’t, it hurts too much, and I let out a grunt of pain. I try to keep my mouth shut but it isn’t working. Now I have given him the wrong impression. This can’t be happening. This can’t be. I feel more tears of fear and pain rush down my face as he begins to moan. Me crying in agony makes him go faster, which in turn makes it more uncomfortable and painful for me. This is wrong I just want him to stop. I try to look away as there is nothing else I can do.

I can’t do anything but whimper, tense up and pray to the Six this is all a dream. But it’s not. I know it’s not. The noises he is making confirms that. The sound of our skin colliding confirms it. The pain surging inside of me and in-between my legs confirms it. Can’t he tell I don’t want this? Why won’t he stop? Please stop. Please…

“Gods-! I love you- so- much.” I hear him say through a disgusting breathless voice. It only makes me cry harder.

His thrusts get more violent and faster and I try desperately to look away from him. Anywhere. But he is directly on top of me and no matter what I do I feel him stare at me. I shut my eyes and pray that it will be over soon. But the sounds that are coming from him are too hard to ignore. The pain between my legs is the worst thing I have ever felt in my life. What did I do? What did I do to deserve this?

He roughly pushes into me three more times before letting go a deep and vile moan. I want to be sick as he rests his head against my chest. I freeze, hold my breath and tense up again when I feel him stain my insides. I swallow down my cries as he buries his head further into my chest. The grip on my wrists has not loosened and when he has calmed himself down he begins to kiss my neck. I flinch, and it doesn’t seem to faze him. In fact, I hear him laugh. It’s not a kind one either.

He lifts his head up and smirks at me. “You were just as I imagined you would be. My beautiful baby girl. Now, get some sleep Faria.”

I am not sleeping tonight.

He kisses me one last time and finally get’s off of me. As soon as he takes himself off of me I feel a rush of warm liquid ran down my legs. I can’t bring myself to think about that and I don’t move. He may have gotten off me and my bed but he is still in my room and I am too frighten to move or speak in case he does something else. How could he do that? Why would he do that?-   

I hear the door creek open and then it shuts again.

When I finally get around to telling myself he is gone, I allow myself to fall apart. I quickly grab my blanket and wrap it around me in an attempt to shield myself from the shame and fear that has taken hold of me. I can’t control my body and I start to hyperventilate. My entire body is shaking, and I can’t even- I can’t even- he- we- he had sex with me.

That- that- wasn’t right. That was fowl, disgusting, dirty, vile! I just had sex with my father! I would never- I could never- How did I let that happen? Was it because he loves me? I love him but that- That was wrong. I didn’t feel any pleasure in that. I didn’t want that. I never wanted that. I never wanted him to kiss me in the first place! I never wanted him to touch me! I never wanted any of that at all! I just wanted my father to be happy…

The pain between my legs has not stopped and I fear it will never stop. The tears have started to fall again, and I lean over the bed and throw up.

How could I let that happen? Did I do something wrong? Something bad? Please, Gods…. Tell me what did I do?


	5. Faria: Age 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will be very uncomfortable, just a pre-warning. 
> 
> However, it will also set up Somnus's suffering and he will pay for everything he has done to Ardyn, his wife and his children.
> 
> Let's get to it then....

It kept happening.

It keeps happening and all I want is for it to stop. I don’t want to do that with my father, I never did. I feel dirty and disgusting. No matter how many times I wash that horrible feeling is still there. I still feel his hands over me, and his lips on me. He is my father and I don’t want it. Why can’t he see that? I tell him no. I keep telling him, begging him to stop. But he just gets violent with me. He ends up pinning me down and bruising my skin. He doesn’t care what I want. He doesn’t care what anyone wants, and I can’t say a thing. No one is going to believe me. Even if I show them the proof I am going to be called a slut and a whore for allowing a man into my bed. No one would believe that the King of Lucis was doing that to his own daughter. His own flesh and blood, no one would believe me. They would say that I was lying and that I should be hung for saying such treasonous and fowl words.

But it’s all true.

I would never lie about something as evil and twisted as this. It is rape. I know it is. And we’re family! He’s my father and it makes it a million times worse. I feel my stomach start to churn again and I run to reach the chamber pot that is under my bed.

I start being violently sick into it. The taste is disgusting. All it is, is bile, I have nothing in my stomach for I was sick earlier today as well. In fact, I have been being sick quite a lot recently, and it is always around the same time. About two o’clock in the afternoon I have to run somewhere to expel whatever I have eaten for lunch. It could be stress. It could be the fear of what will occur tonight. Just thinking about it now, I begin to retch.

This isn’t fair what he is doing. I can’t sleep because of him. I can’t sit down comfortably in his presents. Once, it was the middle of the afternoon and he called me into his office. Just so he could have his way with me. Tears begin to fall from my face and my stomach starts to hurt again. That has to be anxiety, surely. My lower abdomen will just randomly start hurting on occasion. It mainly happens when I am laying down. I usually breathe through the pain and wait it out. I hate this. I am so stress, scared and anxious all the time. I missed my period last month because of it.

I stand up and shove the chamber pot back under my bed and let out a deep sigh. Is this all my life is now? I am marked with the impurity my father has forced upon me. And because of that I am never going to be married. Father even said once, while we were- Whilst he was doing that to me, that I was his. No one else was allowed to touch me like he does. That I was his special little girl and he would murder anyone that so much looked my way. I am nearly 20. When I turn 20, it will be my first season and as the Princess of Lucis, I will be expected to find a suitor.

This life is awful. I don’t want it. I have even been snapping at Nero, Lord Amicitia, my friends and the servants at the moment, all without cause. What is happening to me? I don’t understand it.

Wait a second….

I should be on my period now. And I am not.

My stomach drops and I slowly look down at myself. Horror seeps into my brain and I feel myself begin to panic. No, no, no, no- this can’t be happening. I can’t be. Gods no please no! Please I don’t want it. I don’t want this, I never have. What did I do to deserve this?!

Despite me not wanting it to be true it is the only thing that makes sense. All of it! My breasts have become tender and whenever father has sex with me it feels a lot tighter then it ever has done before.

I start to cry. This can’t be happening. This can’t. I am pregnant, and my own father is my baby’s father. This is wrong. This is disgusting. I don’t even have time to reach for the chamber pot as I start retching. I don’t know what to do. Who do I turn too? Who can I possibly turn too? No one will believe me. No one- Nero…. If anyone will he might.

For his and father’s relationship has been fractured since he was 13. Was that it? Was that, the thing I had been missing all these years. The silent treatments they give each other, the unexplainable marks on Nero, the denial of my father. Has he been hurting him too….

I stand up quickly and rush towards my brother’s chambers. I feel hot tears threaten to leak out of my eyes. I can’t cry. Not until I have told him. I have to tell him. I should have told Nero when father first started touching me. I should have told him after our father kissed me. I rush through the palace as quick as I can. I need to avoid my father, I need to avoid everyone in case they tell him that I have been crying. He will know why. He will- I can’t do this anymore. I need Nero. I need to tell him.

I am so caught up in my own thoughts that I bash into the back of someone.

“I’m sorry. I am really sorry.” I say desperately trying to move forward. They can’t see my face I won’t allow them too. Before I can leave I hear them speak.

And it’s Lord Amicitia.

“It’s my fault, your Highness. Princess Faria, are you alright?” He questions me with nothing but concern. Because he asked me I can no longer keep the tears at bay.

I stop walking and hot tears free fall down my face. I shouldn’t be crying in front of him. Lord Honris Amicitia has been friends with my father since they were children. That’s why he chose him to be his new Shield after Gilgamesh left. The main reason being is that my father trusts him. He will surely go off and tell father everything. And if they have been friends that long there is no telling what the man is truly like. He could behave exactly like my father. I thought I could trust my father and I can’t. Because of that I don’t feel I can trust him.

I lie and refuse to look at him. But I know he can see the tears run down my cheeks. “Yes, Honris. I- I am just on my way to see my brother.”

“I am afraid he is currently with your father. Would you like me to escort you to them?”

“NO!” I blurt out snapping my head up and stare at him with fear. My hands begin to shake, and I see his face slightly drop at my reaction. I shake my head and try my hardest to cover it up, but my tears give my distress and upset away. I don’t know why I am bothering anymore, I can’t hide what father has done not when I am with… “I don’t want to bother them. Actually… would you mind escorting me to my brother’s rooms?”

I may not trust the man in front of me but I don’t want to be roaming around the palace on my own anymore. Not with the possibility of my father lurking around every corner. I don’t, I just want to feel normal again. I just want to be happy again. I don’t want to be scared anymore and I don’t want to be carrying this baby. I don’t. I cover my face with my hands and feel my entire body shake. I let out a small whimper and I know now I have failed. Honris will surely take me to my father now. I don’t want to be anywhere near that man… I don’t.

To my surprise Honris does the opposite. “Certainly, your Highness. If I may be so bold to say, stand behind me so no one sees your tears.”

I remove my hands from my face and I am taken back by his words. He sounds genuinely concerned and not once has he pushed to take me to my father. I gulp and give him a small nod. With that he walks me through the palace and ensures that any guard that passes us does not see my face. He even goes as far to refuse to allow any servant talking to me or to him. If I didn’t run into him when I did I would surely be with father and Nero now.

We make it to my brother’s quarters quickly and he opens the door to allow me entry. He doesn’t step foot into the rooms though. I turn to face him and give him a weakened smile. I am still not sure if I can trust him because he has to do whatever father says. He has to risk his life for the King’s. Him interacting with me may cause my father to explode. I don’t want anyone being in the firing line of my father’s wrath. Even if I don’t trust them.  

Before I can beg him not to say a word to my father he speaks: “I will inform the Prince that you are in here. Not to worry your Highness, I will not inform his Majesty of anything I have witnessed.”

“Honris. Thank you.” I say in a whisper.

I can’t believe it. Maybe he can be trusted… I hope he is telling the truth because if father knows I have been crying he will find out about what has happened. I can’t allow him to know that. I can’t.

“Certainly, your Highness.” He nods before leaving and when he does, he closes the door.

I sit on one of the sofa’s and wait for my brother to come back. I look down at my stomach and I feel tears leak from my eyes again. What am I going to do…

True to Lord Amicitia words, Nero comes in not long afterwards and he has come alone. I look at him through watery eyes and he rushes over to me and kneels down on the floor in front of me. He looks more concerned then Honris did and he takes my hands in his. I want to pull away from him. I don’t allow anyone to touch me anymore. I hate being touched but this isn’t Nero’s fault and he doesn’t know what has been going on. Yet….

“Faria, are you alright? What’s happened?”   

I don’t look at him. I am so frightened that he won’t believe me. I need him to believe me. He is the only person I can turn too, but how am I meant to tell him? How am I meant to tell him that our father has been raping me and that this has been going on for years? I don’t know how he will react and honestly I don’t want to know. But I have to tell someone.

Still refusing to look at him I take in a deep breath and sniff. “It’s father.”

“What has he done?” Nero asks with his voice still littered with worry. However, because I refuse to answer, he asks me again. Only this time he sounds… angry. “Faria, what has he done?”

I can’t control myself and all the pain and fear comes out and I just say it. “He’s… he’s been- He’s been forcing himself on me.” 

“He’s been doing WHAT!?!”

Hearing the rage in his voice I snap my head up and hold on to his hands. “Nero listen, I really need your help. I’m- I’m pregnant. I don’t know what to do.”  

“Come here.”

He immediately takes his hands from mine and wraps his arms around me. I flinch at his touch and I hear him growl. It’s not at me it’s at what has happened. Wait… he believes me? He fucking believes me! I wrap my arms around him and bury my head into his shoulders. For the first time in years I actually feel safe. I feel safe in my brothers arms and I don’t want him to let me go. HE BELIEVES ME! I start to cry harder, but this time it is tears of relief. It feels like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders and it is the best feeling ever. However, I can’t help but feel like all of this is my fault. I should have told Nero earlier. I should have been able to tell my father no. I should have been able to stop him. Because of all of that I feel guilty and I can’t help but apologise to my brother.

“I’m sorry.” I whimper not removing my head from his shoulder.

“Don’t be sorry. This isn’t your fault.” Nero says, rubbing my back, in the most comforting voice he can muster given the information I have forced upon him.

We remain hugging for a moment and that is when it finally sinks in what is happening to me. I am pregnant with my father’s baby! This is not good! My chest begins to race, and it feels like my heart is about to jump out of my throat. Nero senses how panicked I am and hugs me tighter. He must be so angry and upset and this is all my fault. 

I still have my face buried into his shoulder and I stumble over my words and I am barely able to speak. “What do I do Nero. I can’t- can’t have this child. I am not married- It’s illegal, I could be ston-”

“I know. No matter what happens, I am here to help you.”

“What if he finds out. Nero… I have no idea what he will do when he finds out.”

“He can’t find out if he’s dead.”

I pull away from him and look at him in shock. That didn’t just come out of my brother’s mouth. I know he is angry and distraught by the news but… this is wrong. My father may have abused me in ways that are unspeakable, but my brother is talking about murder! No, I won’t let him do that. I stare into his eyes and carefully speak at him, trying to actually process what he has said.

“Nero.”

“I am being serious. He has put us both through hell and this is unforgiveable. Something tells me mother’s death wasn’t just because of labour. It was because of him. I am not putting up with his shit any longer.”

He stands up and tries to walk out of the door. Panic rushes through me again, and it’s because of how serious, enraged, certain and determined Nero is. He can’t! He will get himself killed if he tries to attack our father! I rush to my feet and run over to the door and stand in the way so he can’t get passed. He can’t do this!

I hold out my hands and relay my worries to him. “It’s treason. You could be hung! Or worse, the Gods chose him remember? They may punish you if you murder him!”

None of that fazes him. And he just sounds angrier then before.

“Fuck them! Fuck every last one of them! I don’t care what they do to me! What God would place a man like that on the throne! All I care about is your safety. Whatever happens, that man- that monster is not seeing the dawn tomorrow.”


	6. Nero: Age 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit longer and you finally get to see Somnus in pain...

I barge my way through the door and stare directly at Somnus.

He doesn’t seem to care that I nearly broke the door down nor that I am shaking with rage. I have never felt this angry before. And all of it is directed at him. That disgusting, vile disgrace of a man. How dare he hurt my sister like this! How dare he hurt me like this! He is not getting away with this. None of it.  He doesn’t even look at me. He is staring out of the window and he is acting as if I am not even there.  

That only makes my blood boil.

When he speaks, the words he says burns my ears. “Son, I thought we had discussed everything earlier.”  

“Don’t you dare call me that!” I grit my teeth unable to hide the rage from my voice.

Why should I?! He may be King, but Somnus Lucis Caelum doesn’t deserve my respect! He doesn’t deserve anyone’s respect. What he deserves is to burn. He should burn like all the people he burnt because of the scourge. He deserves to rot in hell for what he did to Faria! I don’t care what he did to me. All I care about is her.

And because I have spoken out of turn, he turns around to face me. There is anger spread across his face. But he is no where near as enraged and determined as I am. I am going to use that to my advantage.

“I beg your pardon?!”

“You killed my mother, didn’t you!?” I shout at him before I even realise what I have said.

No, I need to get a hold of myself. My anger and rage is more than justified but I can’t allow him to find out about Faria. I clench both of my hands into fists and take in a couple of deep breaths through my nose. But that doesn’t tame the fire burning in my chest nor the ongoing tug of war of the rational and irrational parts of my brain. I want to tear him apart. I want to tear him limb from limb and watch him bleed out in agony. And because I crave to see that, my breathing does nothing to clear my mind at all. In fact, it just makes me more focused on the task at hand, ending his pathetic and loathsome existence, and I will do it. I don’t care if I have never beaten him in a fight. Today I will.

And I will be his down fall.

Somnus shakes his head at me and looks me dead in the eye with amusement. “She died in child birth.”

“I would bet my life you had something to do with it!” I snap back at him. Instead of responding he stares at me blankly, he isn’t bothered that I have just accused him of murdering my mother! He was supposed to love her! He told me he loved her and now he… he is looking at me without a care in the world. My breathing increases and I can’t prevent myself from shouting or the words that are spilling out of my mouth “You hurt me! You torture me and now I have found out you have been raping Faria! Don’t you dare try to deny it! She told me! She has told me everything including how long it has been going on for! You monster!”

“How dare you! I would never hurt her in that way! I would never lay a hand on her! She is my daughter! Are you completely sick!”

Now he is giving me some emotion as he shouts back at me. He nearly sounds disgusted by my words, but I know for a fact he isn’t. That is how sick and twisted he is, he knows it is wrong and he still does it! Well, I am no longer falling for it. I am no longer falling for his lies nor his manipulation. I am not a child anymore and he has been pushing, hurting and training me to become the next King of Lucis. That is exactly what is going to happen today. However, I still have not learnt. My fury and my mouth are working too fast for the logical part of my brain and I am not allowing him to get away with lying to me. Not anymore. Not when it concerns my sister.

“No! But you are! You got her pregnant!”

I shouldn’t have said that, and I can’t take those words back. I just stare into his eyes and wait until it finally registers what I have said. It doesn’t take long, because when it does I see his entire face drop and he nearly takes a step away from me. He doesn’t say a thing to that. For once in my life I have the upper hand over him. And I scream at him because of it.

“Not going to defend yourself now, are you?! You did the same to mother, didn’t you?! You killed her! I won’t allow you to abuse me or my sister any longer!”

I throw my arm to the side of me and catch my sword as it falls out of my armiger. I no longer care about keeping calm. I am far from it and I am going to slaughter him. HE IS GOING TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING HE HAS DONE!!!

“Put the sword away.” Somnus states calmly. He doesn’t get his blade out and he has even placed his hands in front of him, as if he was trying to calm me down.

No.

He is not my father and I will never listen to him again.

I feel my grip get tighter as I snarl at him. I don’t recognise my own voice as I continue to scream at him. Because all I can see is red and at the centre of it all is him. “So you can hurt me! So you can attack my little sister again! No! I think it’s about time this country was under new leadership!”

I start to slowly approach him and I can see it has finally sunk in his self-absorbed skull that I am not messing around. That I want a fight and he is being forced to give me one. As I continue walking towards him I feel magic pour into the room. I know some of it is mine, but the majority is coming from him. He is getting himself prepared but that isn’t going to save him. He may have fought off daemons, defeated and locked up the Adagium, he may have banded all of Lucis together and, a side from Gilgamesh, he is the best warrior this world has ever seen. But all of that will not help him. Not here.

Before I can get within striking distance from him, he speaks in a very clear and cutting voice. “You don’t want to do this Nero.”

“Bring it Somnus.”

With that I warped to where he is standing with all my strength behind, what should be, a fatal blow to the heart. Instead my ears are met with a clash of cold metal and my eyes connect with his. Peering into his eyes, it’s like staring into hell. But I don’t allow that to distract me. I force my entire body weight on to my sword which forces him to stagger back and it gives me an opportunity to try and knock his weapon out of his hands. However, I fail as he has already thrown his weapon and warped behind me. I don’t have a chance to turn around, and he kicks me with all his might in the lower part of my back. I start falling to the floor, but I can’t be out already. I have learnt from last time what it is like to fight him and I roll into the fall and I am soon back on my feet facing him.

He shakes his head with disappointment and dashes towards me attempting to strike me down. This is when I discover that my emotions make me powerful. They put me in a better position with fighting and I defend all the blows coming my way. I deflect strike after strike, I dodge him when he tries to kick me, and I manage to confuse him and cut his arm with my sword. He roars in pain and I take a few steps back as he glances down at his wound.

That was a mistake. Because I stopped for a moment, he overpowers me. He throws his weapon to the ground and warps over to me and grabs the handle of my weapon and pries it from my grasp. I am left defenceless in that moment and instead of running the sword through my body he throws it to the floor and tackles me to the ground. The fight becomes a battle of mere strength and I should excel in this field. The Crystal has left him weakened and exhausted and he should prove no match for me. But because I have drifted to that mentality, I underestimate him, and he wins. He wasn’t the Founder King of Lucis for nothing and every beating and punishment over the years should have taught me that. Even when I struggle and fight him with everything I have got it is not enough.

He forces his knee down into my stomach making me grunt with pain. With one of his hands he presses down on my chest as hard as he can, and with his free hand he violently punches me in the face. I am left feeling dizzy by the punches and I hear him laugh as he does so. I am stunned and because of that when he stops punching me I wince in pain instead of trying to defend myself.    

“I warned you. I told you not to do it.” I hear him speak once more and then I hear an all too familiar sound.

It’s the sound of Somnus summoning a weapon. My brain screams at me to do something and my hands automatically reach up. I grab his wrists just in time before he can plunge a dagger into my throat. I grit my teeth and push against him with all my might. My hands are locked onto his wrists, whereas his hands are both firmly placed onto the dagger he is forcing towards me.

This is it. Now or never and one of us is not going to make it. For Faria, I have to live, I have to best him. I have to kill him to ensure her safety. I can’t die like this. I can’t. I grunt in pain as he forces more pressure on to my stomach but it doesn’t distract me from pushing him away. It kills, and it is beyond painful but I need to ignore it. Eventually one of us will give out and I can’t allow it to be me. I can tell by his eyes that he wants me dead. The next words he speaks only confirm it.   

“You’re right. I am responsible for your mother’s death. When she died I didn’t feel a thing, and I am not going to feel a thing when I kill you either.”

Those disheartening words allows me to find some strength and I push harder at his wrists. The dagger is slightly forced upwards. It’s not enough to ensure my victory but it is enough for me to prove to him I am a force to be reckoned with. I spit in his face and scream at him.

“You’re a monster!”

“No Nero, your uncle is a monster! He would have slaughtered everyone if I didn’t lock him up. I did what I did to protect everyone.”

“Raping my sister is protecting her is it?!” I shout louder up at him.

But like before he doesn’t seem bothered. The only thing he is focused on is ramming this dagger through my flesh and ending my life. He pushes down harder on the blade an it inches towards me again. I try to push it back up, but nothing happens. The dagger is stuck in one position for too long and neither of us show any signs of giving up. That is until Somnus speaks again. When he does the fire that ignites my rage, roars stronger then it ever has done before.

“It’s not rape if she wanted it.”

“She didn’t! You disgusting twat! SHE DIDN’T!!!”

I scream at him with all my might, and I try to push the dagger away from me once more. But I am met by the same amount of force and the dagger remains in place. My emotions may be strong. They may be my biggest strength, but it is doing nothing for me physically. We have both reached our capacity in terms of physical strength and it is only a matter of time before one of us breaks. Fear seeps into my heart because we both know Somnus has the power to break me using words alone.

I don’t want to die.

“Do you see what I am doing. I am toughening both of you up for the real world. You ungrateful worthless piece of shit.”

No. He may win this and if he does I will die. But I am not dying without hurting him. I am not dying without causing him the same emotional and psychological pain he has inflicted on me. And because I am his son it means I have been entrusted with the thrones greatest secret. I know exactly what to say.

“Ungrateful- The Gods got it wrong. I would have chosen ARDYN to be King over you!”

“I think that is enough out of you boy!”

Before he can overpower me and dive that dagger into me I see his eyes go wide and he lets out a yelp.

Seizing the opportunity, I let go of his wrists and force the dagger out of his hands before stabbing him in the chest with it. He yelps again, and I pull the dagger out of him and push him off of me as fast as I can. I roll away from him and stand to my feet still with the dagger in hand. I turn and I see Faria with a sword in her hands and the tip of it is coated in blood. I completely ignore Somnus and place all my attention on her. She looks terrified and when she locks her eyes with mine, fear is all I can see.  

“Nero are you okay?” She asks me in a weakened voice.

“Yes.” I nod stepping closer towards her and taking the sword from her hands.

She has never been in a fight before. I don’t even think she has ever held a weapon. She must be so scared and the amount of courage it must have taken to follow me and actually cause Somnus harm… I can’t even imagine what is going through her head. I throw the dagger into my armiger and hold on to her hand tightly to reassure her everything is going to be okay. “Faria. It’s alright. I promise.”

I feel her grip get tighter and I smile warmly at her. But before one of us can say another word Somnus grunts in pain. We turn to face him and he is slowly getting to his feet.  

“You ungrateful- little shits.”

I shake my head and push Faria behind me. He looks pathetic. “Somnus, give it up. You’re wounded.”

“You can’t even bring yourself to kill me. You are that weak your sister had to do the damage for you.” He doesn’t look at her. He looks directly at me as he talks, and now he is standing up right. I have had enough by this point.

“Don’t you dare talk about her!”

I feel Faria grab my arm and slightly pull me away. She knows what I want to do. He is wounded, and I could end his life now. Her voice is panicky, and I know for a fact she won’t let go of me until I listen to her. “Nero don’t! He’s not worth it! You’re better than him. Please brother don’t.”

“At last one of you has some sense.” He laughs cruelly.

But Faria is right I am nothing like him. I no longer want to be him. I just want to protect my sister. He looks down at himself and then back to me. I didn’t notice it before, but he is slowly dripping with blood. Faria and I must have done more damage than we first thought. This is not good. However, he laughs again and gestures to his wounds.

“You honestly believed that you could kill me. This is nothing.”

“What are you going to do then? Hang us both for treason? You would do that you your own children?” I ask calming myself down. I need to listen to Faria. I am listening to her.

Somnus shakes his head and smirks at me. “No. Just you-”

Both Faria and I take a step back as Somnus stops in mid-sentence and falls to the ground. I stare at his motionless body for a couple of seconds and then I dart my eyes up to the person who just knocked him out. I can’t believe my eyes. It’s Lord Honris Amicitia.  

“Honris.” Faria says in a wary tone as she finally moves in front of me.

“Your Highness.” He nods before bending down and picking up Somnus.

I violently shake my head. What the hell did I just witness?! He just fucking knocked him out! What is going on? He is his Shield for the love of the Six! He is meant to be protecting him from danger not helping us.

“What are you doing?” I ask nearly in shock.  

“Taking his Majesty back to his rooms to recover. He shouldn’t have challenged you to a fight your highness. After all, accidents happen in sparring matches and he will need to be patched up.”

He turns to leave with Somnus in his arms and both Faria and I are left staring at him as he walks away. Neither of us can fathom what has just happened. He must have seen me stab the King. He must have seen Faria stab him in the back and yet he did nothing to prevent it.

The Shield of the King did nothing when his liege was attacked.

This doesn’t add up. I know it doesn’t. However, I have a feeling I really don’t want to know what is going on….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This man is going to suffer a lot then this. This is nothing compared to what I have lined up for him. (Rubs hands together evilly)


	7. Somnus and Honris

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's bring him pain....

Somnus opened his eyes and grunted in pain as he tried to sit up. There was a burning sensation in his chest and his back was throbbing with the same amount of pain. He lent on his wounded arm and fell on his back with a matter of seconds as his arm gave way. He grunted in agony and took in a series of deep breaths. There was no point getting up and he realised that, that fight with Nero was a stupid mistake. His body was already in turmoil because of the Crystal draining his life force and now he got involved in a fight he knew he had no chance of winning.

“Your Majesty. Are you feeling any better?”

Somnus turned and saw Honris standing next to his bedside. Somnus didn’t care how he was feeling. He was more concerned what had become of his children.

“Don’t fuss Honris. I want Nero and Faria placed in the dungeons at once!”

“Certainly, Your Grace. It will be done. However, the council have asked who is currently in charge.” The Shield felt himself tense up as Somnus suddenly stared at him as if he was a piece of meat. The man shook his head and tried to make a recovery from his clearly poor choice of words. “Somnus, you are wounded. You aren’t in any state to rule the Kingdom. As your friend, I strongly suggest that you appoint someone to take charge until you fully recover.”   

“You’re the Shield. I am certain you know who to choose.” Somnus sighed as he shuffled himself on the bed to try and get comfy. But where the blade had entered his back it made it difficult for him to do so.

“As you wish Somnus.” To Somnus’s surprise his Shield didn’t stop talking. “May I suggest, for your own safety, that I be the only one to be allowed entry into your rooms? I don’t want anyone else attacking you while you recover.”

“Yes, yes, whatever.” Somnus half agreed waving his hand to shoo him away.

When he heard the door shut he gritted his teeth together. He began to fester on his children and what he was going to do to the pair of them when he regained his strength. He may be growing older and he may be slowly deteriorating, but he was not allowing them to get away with this. He didn’t care that they were his own flesh and blood. Blood never mattered to him. But causing them pain, would bring him joy and no one was going to stop him. No one had the power to stop him.

* * *

Honris waited outside of the King’s private quarters and stood to attention when he saw the Prince and Princess approach him. He had just been in a very short meeting with the council and considering the King had made himself unavailable to all except the Shield it was down to him to deal with his children. 

“Amicitia. You wanted to see us.” Nero questioned not allowing Faria anywhere near the Shield.

Even if he witness Honris knock Somnus out he didn’t trust him. He couldn’t trust a man that had so willingly accepted the position of Shield the moment that Gilgamesh was out of the picture. For all he knew the man could be exactly the same as the King. 

Faria felt the same way but she couldn’t shake off the guilt she had been feeling over the past three days. “We’re sorry. I shouldn’t have done that! Is he alright?”

“Faria.” Nero said in a stern voice.

“No Nero. He may be disgusting and not worth the dirt on my shoes, but he is our father and I have to know. Honris. Please, tell me. Is he going to be okay?”

Honris nodded “He is alright, your Highness, you need not worry. In fact, he has requested that you, Prince Nero, take charge until he has fully recovered.”

“What?!” Nero and Faria shouted in disbelief and looked at the Shield as if he had grown three heads.

“I am doing what I am ordered, your Grace.”

With that Honris bowed to the pair and retreated back into Somnus’s quarters and shut the door carefully behind him. When he reached Somnus’s actual bedroom he was amazed that the King was actually awake. He cleared his throat to get the King’s attention and said nothing when he saw how difficult it was for Somnus to turn to face him.

“Well… is everything, as I have commanded?” Somnus asked trying to forget about the surging pain in his back.

“Yes, your Majesty.”

“Good.”

* * *

“Honris! Honris!” Somnus called out in a panicky voice.

Of course, being the loyal and attentive Shield that Amicitia was, he rushed to his liege’s side. It had been nearly a week since Nero’s and Somnus’s fight and not once during this time had Somnus cried out like this. The man had been in a considerable amount of pain due to being stabbed several times, but he had never sounded scared before.

“Yes, your Majesty.” Honris responded quickly standing by his bedside, waiting for an order.

“I can’t move my legs. Call a healer at once.”

“I am afraid I can’t do that your Majesty.”

“What!” Somnus snapped his head and looked directly into his Shield’s eyes.

Did he just disobey him? The only people he had ever allowed to do that was both of his Shield’s. But never had either of them denied him anything when it came to his health. This was serious he couldn’t move his legs at all. He just woke up and he tried to get out of the bed to urinate, but nothing happened.

“I cannot leave your side.” Honris stated defending his response. Somnus did not take kindly to that.

This time he shouted at his shield and swung an arm at him to get him to hurry up. “I am ordering you too. Do it now. Why can’t I move my legs?”

The old King looked down at himself in horror. He had had problems with his legs since he put that fucked up ring on his finger. But never to this extent before. He had experienced days where he couldn’t get out of bed because of the pain in his legs but he had always been able to move them. What was going on?  

“That would be because of the poison flowing through your body your Majesty.”

The room fell silent as Somnus turned to face Honris who had a plain expression on his face. Their eyes locked together, and the King thought he misheard him to start with. But the look of nothingness on his long times friends face said it all.

“Poison? You poisoned me?!”

“Yes, I did.”

The pair fell silent again and Honris took a seat in the chair next to Somnus’s bed and lent back in it. Not once did Somnus or Honris look away from each other. The King couldn’t remove the shock from his face and panic started to nest itself with in his chest. Whereas the Shield still wore an expression of stone and he just watched as Somnus fell into a state of panic. He felt nothing when he heard his liege’s voice of terror. 

“What?!”

Honris joined his hands together and rested them in his lap. He blinked for a moment. He clicked his tongue and realised how pathetic the Founder King of Lucis looked.

“The poison is called: Fanden Ormr. It is one of the deadliest poisons known to man and it has very similar affects to what the Crystal is having on you. You can’t move your legs. Soon you will lose all the ability of movement and as for your speech you will hardly be able to say a thing. You will feel exhausted and that’s when the pain kicks in. It will shut down all your organs one by one. You will feel nothing but agony as your entire body begins to shut down. I was told that you experience rather graphic hallucinations of your worst nightmare, which I assume for you, will be Ardyn. Finally, your lungs will collapse, and you will suffocate. None of it will be traced back to the poison because the tiredness, the lack of movement, the hallucinations, are all side effects of the Crystal’s toll on your body. Why do you think I kept badgering you to see a healer whenever you had any of those symptoms?”

“Why?! Why would you do something like this!” Somnus nearly shrieked. He couldn’t prevent his eyes from going wide, nor could he stop his heart from racing.

He had known Honris since he was a boy. Since they were 7 years old. During all that time, Somnus and Honris had been nothing but kind and loyal to one another. Somnus never revealed  to him any of the unspeakable things he had done to others. In fact, Honris thought Somnus method of dealing with the scourge was a lot more affective then others and that was the only thing he allowed his shield to know. He couldn’t believe that this was happening. Because Amicitia had never lied to him before Somnus was forced to believe every word he said.

However, the next set of words felt like a million swords had stabbed his heart. For they had haunted him for the passed 19 years and now an actual person had finally relayed them to him.

“ ‘Don’t talk. You need to save what energy you have left.’ Do those words sound familiar to you, Somnus? They should. Those were some of the last words you said to Queen Raen before she died.”

“How do you…” Somnus said in a whisper. He should have said that louder, but he could feel his throat begin to clam up.

“How do I know that? You see Somnus, after you ordered the healers to do nothing to save her life, she contacted her best friend to say goodbye to her as you were that much of a coward to not sit by her as she passed. And when they got there she told them everything that you had done to her. The raping, the beatings, the insults, the constant abuse, everything.”

Honris said finally showing some emotion in his voice. He spoke darkly and with every mention of what Somnus did, his voice became darker and darker.

And Somnus couldn’t say a thing. He was shocked. No one had informed him she had any visitors. No one had said a word. His face dropped as he finally realised it wasn’t Faria who haunted him by looking like his late wife. It was her. It had always been Raen doing that herself. For once in her life, even if it was right at the end, she beat him. She was now getting her revenge in the form of Honris Amicitia.

“Nothing to say? Well I will tell you something Somnus, I was the one she got in touch with. Before I met yourself and Ardyn she was my best friend growing up. I knew her since I could barely walk, and not once did you ever think to ask if either of us knew the other. Not once did you ever look because if you had you would have realised that I was madly in love with her. I loved her so much and when she chose to be with you I couldn’t do anything but support her. I did that because I wanted her to be happy, that’s all I ever wanted for her and that was all she had ever deserved. But instead of treating her like a queen you destroyed her. You watched and laughed as you in forced her labour and it killed her. At the time I knew no one would believe me. Who was going to believe Queen Raen’s best friend over the King of Lucis, no one would’ve. The only evidence I had was what she told me. When she did, I realised that Ardyn did nothing wrong. Your brother may have been tainted by the scourge, but he wasn’t the monster; it was you the entire time. But I couldn’t outright kill the First King of Lucis could I? I needed to by my time and wait until you slipped up, and that’s the reason why I accepted the offer of Shield. Of course, you did slip up. And you slipped up with Nero. When I saw you beat Raen’s son to a pulp that was it. I made up my mind and you had to go. Recently, I caught wind of some scandalous information, that you have got your own daughter pregnant… well, that is why I did nothing when Faria stabbed you. That is why I am the only one in here with you now and there is no one here to stop me from causing you pain. Before you babble and plead for your life, I want you to know I am doing it for them. I am doing all of this for Raen, for Ardyn, for Nero and Faria. This is the best payment I could think of.”

“You- you traitor!”

Somnus choked on his words as he glared at Honris. For there was nothing else he could do. He couldn’t move his legs, his arms were beginning to ache and his voice was turning into nothing but a faint choked whisper.

The Shield shook his head at him. “No. I am not. I swore an oath to Lucis. To the King of Lucis. At the moment Somnus, you are sick and Nero holds the title of Prince Regent.”

“I… said….” Somnus was finding it difficult to get his words out now. He began to feel a sharp pain run up his spine.  

Honris laughed at the sight and stood up. He wasn’t leaving. He was going to watch Somnus die and suffer taking full credit for the King’s untimely death. The Shield lent over Somnus and the King tried his hardest to move away from him. The man had never felt or looked so weak in his entire life and he knew just by the fire in Honris eyes, he was going to die.

“You told me to put him in the dungeons. However, you also told me to pick the best person to lead. Nero is, and will always be the right person for the job. It’s over Somnus you’re finished.”

Honris moved away from Somnus and smirked as he watched his face fall. He didn’t stop mocking him there. No. He wanted to see the man in pain for hurting the love of his life. For hurting her children and locking away his friend. He decided to inform him of what was to come.

“Now, the poison will take up to three days to suffocate you. You can barely move or talk now. So, in 2 hours I will alert the healer of your condition and by that point no one can save you. No one can stop the torture you will go through. No one can prevent your justifiable suffering and you will die in pain with me watching as you pass. The funny thing is you won’t be able to tell anyone it was me. Like, Raen, Ardyn, Nero and Faria couldn’t say anything when you abused them. Finally, you will understand the level of pain you have inflicted on the four people who loved you the most.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He's still got one more chapter of torture left.


	8. Somnus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He is going to go through hell. Absolute hell.

I can barely scream.

My entire body is roaring in pain and I cannot say a thing. I feel the sweat coat my body and all of the healers are at a lost of what to do. I try to point at Honris, I try to tell them it was him. But my voice has become so distorted no one knows what I am saying. And true to his word he is still by my bedside watching as I suffer because of him. Whenever the healers and servants aren’t in my room he laughs at me. Telling me I deserve all of this. Every bit of pain I am going through is my own doing and he wouldn’t help me even if he could. I have been like this for two days, unable to move, unable to speak. All I can do is feel this agonising pain flow through me. My stomach feels like it is about to explode and again Honris does nothing to sooth the pain. I hate him. I fucking hate him. How dare he do this to me. Gilgamesh would never do this.   

A hot pain rushes down my back and I shut my eyes as tight as I can to fight back tears. This is the worst thing I have ever been through and my so called ‘loyal’ Shield does nothing but shrug his shoulders and carries on watching with amusement as my body continues to torture me.  

Even though I can’t move my legs or arms anymore I can still feel them. It feels like someone is constantly hammering thousands of rusty nails into them. My insides feel like they are on fire. It feels as hot as the bonfires I ignited to rid this world from the scourge. My head is killing me. Every little noise is torture, including my heavy breathing as I try to sooth my own pain. 

Nothing is working, and I know if I do manage to find something to lessen my suffering, Honris would find another way to make me suffer. By the look on his face, I know he doesn’t care if he gets caught. I think he would love it if he did. I don’t care if I hurt Raen. I don’t care if he loved her. I just want this to stop. I want to put an end to that smug grin on his face.

“You look pathetic.”

Nero…

That’s Nero’s voice.

I turn my head and see him where Honris should be. I open my mouth to speak to him but nothing, but a gasp comes out. He shakes his head at me and looks me up and down. Damn that boy to hell. I may be on my death bed but how dare he look down on me. He would be nothing without me!

“You can’t even speak. Good. No one wants to hear what you have to say. By the way, if Honris wasn’t already knighted, I would knight him for doing this.” He knows. So, not only is my son a little shit he is a traitor too. It just makes my hate for Honris grow more. Nero’s head quickly turns away from me and he speaks again. “Faria I told you to stay outside.”

“No. I am not a child anymore.”

Faria….

Nero doesn’t move but she comes into my sight. She looks like she has been crying but she has the same rage on her face as her brother. No. Honris has turned her against me as well. I want that man dead for this. I want him dead! She blinks a few times before talking to me. But she doesn’t look at me as she does so. “I thought I would be sad seeing you like this. And I’m not. You deserve this. You deserve everything you are going through.”

“Fa- Ne- Pl-” I manage to choke out, my breathing is heavy and I don’t think they can hear what I am saying.

Nero is quick to move Faria away from me. When he does I see Honris in the background glaring at me. But my attention is roughly drawn back to Nero as he grabs my face and forces me to look at him. He spits at me as he speaks. How dare he speak to me this way! “Don’t you dare look at her, you poisonous monster. Do you want me to put an end to your pain? I am never going to do that. Not after all you have done to my sister and my mother. I want your pain to last as long as possible and I am going to sit over there with Honris and watch you die. Yes, he told me what you did to my mother. I just wish I could put you in even more pain then you are already in. I am never going to forgive you for what you have done.”

“Are you sure about this your Highness, I am told the last part will be nothing short of horrific.” Honris says, I swear he says it with delight. And he was the one calling me sick.

“I’m glad. You are getting what you deserve.” He lets go of me and walks over to Faria who is now standing by Honris. He moves in front of her to shield her with his body. He doesn’t try to hide the resentment in his voice as he talks with her. “Faria you can go if you want. Look, I understand this is tough. This is hard for all of us and neither Honris or I really want you to witness it.”

“How much pain will he be in?” I hear Faria. Her voice is plain and it tears my heart apart….

“Enough to make glass shatter with his screams.” Honris confirms and I can’t help but gulp at that.

After all, everything he has said so far is true. My entire body shakes in agony as yet another extremely painful surge rushes throughout my entire body. I feel myself jerk up and I can’t help but scream as the right side of my body begins to throb uncontrollably. I think that is my liver. I feel more sweat drip down my face as I try to stop myself from screaming. It is a fools task and I am blaming Honris and Nero for all of this. My hands grip my bed sheets as I ride through the last bit of pain before it starts to ease. My head has not stop aching and I feel my eyes begin to drop. I don’t know how much more of this I can take.

I hear Faria speak again and I know she is still standing in the same place. But I still can’t see her, Nero is blocking my view and even if he wasn’t I can no longer control what my eyes are doing.   

“You weren’t by my mother’s side when she died, and you were the one who killed her. You made me believe, for years, that her death was all my fault. I felt so guilty that I did whatever you asked. But you couldn’t even sit there with her when you were the one to blame. Honris, Nero and I did this to you. But I am not like you. I am going to sit here and watch what I have done. I am not a coward like you.”

She hates me. She fucking hates me. I try to talk again but my body is in so much pain and I am too weak to do anything. That’s when my eyes shut and I can’t force them back open.

I don’t know how long I am in the dark for. Seconds, minutes, hours. But I finally find the strength to open my eyes and the pain has lessened. Am I dead? No, I can’t be dead I am still in my room. But I can’t see Nero, Faria or Honris anywhere. I am alone. I glance over to the door and listen. I can’t hear a thing and I assume no one is coming in.

“Are you in much pain?”

I snap my head to where Honris was once sitting but it’s not Honris I see.

It’s Ardyn…

I can’t prevent my eyes from going wide and my entire body recoils until my back hits the wall. With all the strength I have left I push myself as far away from him as I possibly can. All the while he is staring at me. No, no, no, no, he’s in Angelguard. He can’t get out. Panic races through me and I am breathing heavily. But it is not because of the pain. It’s because of him.

He doesn’t smile at me. He stares at me with golden eyes. He looks the same he did on the day I locked him away but his eyes, there gold. Not blue like they once were. “You look startled to see me brother. Why is that?”

“You’re… that’s not possible.” I can’t prevent myself from shaking. Fear has set in and I have no idea what he is going or planning on doing to me.

“Neither is my immortal affliction. Yet, here we are.”

“No, this is the poison. You’re not here. You’re not really here.”

“No, I am not.”

“Then leave! Leave me be!” I scream at him. This must be an hallucination because I can now move my limbs. But that doesn’t stop me from shouting at him, in uncontrollable terror. Why am I so scared of him? This should be the other way around. He should be scared of me! And he’s not. He’s really not.

He doesn’t listen to me. Like always, he just ignores whatever I have to say. He has always been like this and I hate him. I loath him. Why is he here? Why now? He doesn’t smile he just continues to stare and talk to me.

“I can’t do that. This is all in your head, remember? But why do you think you are seeing me? Why do you think out of everyone, your mind drifts to me?”

“Shut up! You’re not here! You’re not here!” I repeat to myself. I don’t want to see him. He holds too many painful memories. He needs to leave.

“We already established that Somnus.”

He stands up and I can’t help but try and move closer to the wall. My chest is racing up and down and he doesn’t stop advancing towards me. I try to roll off my bed to get away from him but I can’t move. This may be an illusion but it is a fucking good one. He reaches me, and he touches my head. I flinch, and he doesn’t react. He ruffles my hair and gives me a weak smile. What is he doing?

“You can’t get rid of me. You have never been able to get rid of me. I am all but a memory to you now. You know why I am here don’t you? It’s because I am the very first person you hurt, and you liked it. You loved causing me pain right from the moment you took your first breath on Eos. I loved you and I tried so hard to see the good in you. But you, ending my fiancé’s life only confirmed you enjoyed seeing me suffer.”

“No! I never wanted to hurt Aera! She got in the way!” I shout defending my actions. That was an accident! It was!

He just shakes his head and takes his hand off my head. “Like I got in the way of the throne that wasn’t even yours to take? Like I got in the way of your reputation because I could heal the sick and was adored by the people, whereas you were hated by the masses for burning the innocent.”

I pull my knees to my chest and bury my face into them. And I scream. “No! That’s not- Shut up! Damn you! Shut the fuck up!”

“Is this torture? I don’t want to torture you Somnus. I just want you to realise what you have done.”

“No! Stop!”

“You know what you did was wrong. Please brother, just admit it.”

“NO! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!”

He doesn’t talk again. Good he has finally shut up. I feel an icy chill run down my spine and I am forced to look up. Everything is dark. It’s pitch black and I can’t see Ardyn. I am not in my room and I don’t know what’s going on. Because I don’t know where I am I start to scream. It is not out of pain. For some reason, it’s for him.  

 “Ardyn? Ardyn! Ardyn! Come back! Come back!”

He doesn’t respond, and I am left in dark again. The pain that had inflicted my body, almost, three days ago has nearly gone. All of this has to be an illusion. My traitorous children would never let me leave. They want me dead. Well the feeling is mutual. I don’t care if Faria is pregnant. I don’t care about any of them! I don’t care about anyone and no one cares about me! That is how it is meant to be. That is how it is always meant to be.

“I thought you wanted him gone.”

I don’t need to look in the mirror to know I have gone white. I turn in the darkness and see the last person I have ever wanted to lay eyes on again.

“Raen….” I whisper.

It is definitely her. Her brown hair and green eyes confirm it. That’s not the only give away. She is wearing the same white dress that she wore on the day of her death. Just like on that day it is covered in blood. I slowly rise and slowly walk over to where she is standing. Her eyes are blood shot and she is looking at me with nothing but hurt. When she speaks her voice is anything but heart breaking.

“You lied to me. You hurt my children. You promised me you would protect them, you gave me your word. What did they do, Somnus? What did my little angels ever do to deserve that? Any of it?”

“They were ungrateful and selfish and nasty and bitter.” I grit my teeth as I speak. I can’t bring myself to touch her and her eyes are nothing but haunting. She plagues my nightmares every night and now she is standing before me…

“No. Nero loved you. You were his hero, his everything and as payment you beat him to a bloody pulp and laughed as he bled out.”

“No, that’s not true.” I say again trying to defend myself. Yes, I did but it was to teach him a lesson.

“But it is. With Faria, you raped her because she looks like me. You have hurt our baby girl beyond repair.”

“No I haven’t!” I hear my voice get violent. I… I haven’t… I could… I did.

“You have. They never did anything to deserve this. I should have left with Honris like I planned to. I would still be alive and my babies wouldn’t have suffered any of your abuse. You are calling our children selfish, bitter, ungrateful… you are only describing yourself.”

Tears are no longer present in her eyes. Instead they are rolling down my cheeks as I bring my hands to my head. My body is trembling and she needs to shut up! She needs to stop! STOP!

“Stop! Please stop!” I scream hoping that it will work on her just like it worked on Ardyn.

She doesn’t leave. I feel her hands rest on my mine and she brings them away from my head. She moves to the side as she speaks. “Look at what you could have had if you treated me right.”

When she moves out of the way I am curse by a sight. It’s me. And Raen, Nero and Faria sitting outside in the palace gardens having a picnic. All of us are happy and Raen is looking at me with nothing but love and affection. I want to be sick. My children are happy, I am happy, she is happy. Everything is perfect. I can’t take my eyes off of it. It is more painful to see, then the trauma my children and my Shield are putting me through. Why is this happening? Why is she doing this?

“You could of had it all. The wife, the children, the throne. Everything would have been yours and you would not be hurting like this.”

“STOP!” I command as I turn back to her. She doesn’t and the blood that had coated the lower half of her dress has now stained all of it.

“I am not wrong. You know I am not. Because this is all in your head Somnus. I am dead. You are the one saying all of this to yourself.”

My knees buckle and I fall to the floor. Tears have overtaken me and I just want all of this to stop. I can’t believe what I have done. What I have done to her, Nero and Faria. I… this is all on me. All of it. I reach up and grab the bottom of her dress and sob.

“Please, Raen. Please end this. I am sorry. I am so sorry, I should have never of hurt you. I should of loved and respected you, I should have loved and respected our children. Please just stop this.”

I feel her hand fall on my shoulder and I am forced to look up at her. Her eyes have gone dark and all I feel is dread in my stomach.

“I don’t forgive you.”

With that she vanishes, and I fall to the floor.

 No! No! I stare out into the darkness again and scream as loud as I can.

“Raen! Raen! Wait! Come back! Please come back!”

She doesn’t. I hit the floor with my fist and realise that this is all my fault. Everything is my fault. I have condemned them all. I beat my son… How could I do that? I raped my daughter. Just the thought of that makes me want to throw up. Tears stream down my face and I shouldn’t be crying. I am not the one who has suffered emotional and physical trauma. I have always had everything handed to me.

I feel a hand rest on my back and before I can glance up and see who it is, Ardyn’s voice pierces my ears once more. But he doesn’t sound like he usually does. There is something different about his voice.

“There, there little brother. There is no need to cry.”

I immediately look up and I am confused by the sight. He isn’t wearing the white robes he usually wears. He is wearing black and has a funny looking hat on his head. His hair is a lot shorter then normal as wel- why am I bothered by that! I shouldn’t be! It’s my fault why he turned into a monster. I should have helped him and I didn’t. I was jealous and stupid, and he needs to know that.

“Ardyn… Ardyn I am sorry. I am so sorry for everything. For Aera, the throne, Angelguard, ostracising you. I am sorry for everything. Please forgive me.” I can hear that I am begging and I don’t care. Not anymore.

However, like Raen he rejects my grovelling and laughs. “But I am a monster dear brother. I cannot forgive you, for I haven’t the heart.”

“You do. You aren’t a monster! I am! I hurt you, I abused my wife and children and I enjoyed it all. But it was wrong. I was wrong! Please… please forgive me.”

Suddenly my throat seizes up and I am pulled to my feet and then into the air. For Ardyn has one of his hands clenched around my throat and I try desperately to breathe and get out of his grasp. How did he get so strong? He was never this strong. Fear latches on to my heart and it refuses to let go. The scourge is pouring out of his face and he is looking at me like I am his next meal. I can hardly breathe and there is nothing I can do as he bares his teeth at me and more of that black vile pours out of his mouth.

“Ardyn? ARDYN! STOP!” I try to scream. But all I hear is myself choking and my brother doesn’t seem to care. 

“This is a monster Somnus! This is what you turned me into! Can you feel it. You can’t breathe. This is what it feels like being locked up in that prison. This is what it felt like for Raen when you used to strangle her. This is what it feels like for Nero every time he looks at you because he can’t believe he ever loved you. This is what it felt like for Faria every time you raped her! I will never forgive you for what you have done! Neither will Raen, nor will your children!”

I feel him dig his nails into my neck and I hear a loud snap.

* * *

 

Honris walks over to the King’s bed and places two fingers to where his pulse should be. He nods before turning to face the Prince and Princess and confirms what they were all hoping for.

“He’s dead.”

The last few hours were nothing but painful for the King. They watched as he cried out in agony. They watched as he screamed his brother’s and his wife’s name. They witness as he begged for something to stop and begging for their forgiveness. And not a single one of them did anything. He didn’t deserve their pity. Nero and Faria may have lost their father. But they had not lost a dad. For they lost him the moment he hit Nero. Now the Founder King of Lucis lay lifeless in front of them.

“What do we do now?” Faria asked not taking her gaze off her dead father.

“I believe the next step is a coronation.” Honris breathed out turning to the New King of Lucis.

But Nero said nothing, he just stared quietly at his father. It was over. All the abuse and worry was finally over. He was gone and he wasn’t coming back.

“Nero… Did you hear that?” Faria asked placing a hand on her brother’s arm.

“Tell me what you need, your Majesty.” Honris said giving him a small bow as he did so.

That’s when the second King of Lucis broke from his trance. He looked at his sister and sighed. She went through hell and back and Nero blamed himself. He shouldn’t be, but if he had noticed that something wasn’t right between Somnus and Faria he could have stopped it. He could have stopped him from attacking and impregnating her. Because of that it made his mind wonder to all the people the Founder King of Lucis must have abused. There had to be more. The man was over 50 and he found it hard to believe his abuse only stretched to 6 people.

He cleared his throat and turned to Honris. “I need a list. Of all the people that he hurt. And my coronation will be done in their name. I don’t know what the outsiders think of him. We will probably have riots when they find out what he has done. But they need to know what a monster he was.”

“Certainly, your Majesty.”

* * *

 

“All hail King Nero Lucis Caelum. The Second King of Lucis.”

Nero sat on the throne with his Shield, Honris’s son, by his side. He wore the Crown and the Ring like he was born to, and not a single soul in that room would say otherwise. The room clapped and cheered and honoured their new King. Faria and Honris smiled and where proud of Nero for taking on the mantle. This was going to be a difficult challenge for them all. Somnus Lucis Caelum may be dead but his deeds in the name of this country would never be forgotten neither would his name.

Nero would never be able to successfully stain Somnus’s name. The people loved him too much for him to be able to achieve such a goal. Some did believe. The ones that were and tried to remain loyal to the former healer of the scourge. But the others were not going to be convinced.

But Nero, Faria and Honris would never forget what he did. And all they could do was accept that he finally got what he deserved. Even if it was a little too late.  

* * *

 

Somewhere deep in the ring Somnus’s spirit lived on. Forced to relive all the horrible things he had done. Forced to see visions of Ardyn, Raen, Nero and Faria for eternity. This was his true punishment an immortal life like his brother’s. However, this was a lot worse. He was bound to the ring and forced to do whatever the King commanded. Every time the magic was used it was torture. And he was never going to escape it.

Not until the world falls to darkness and the dawn is brought back by the True King.

He would suffer this torment and torture for another 2000 years.

Not a soul could prevent it until then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally done. 
> 
> However, if you would like me to write a story on Ardyn's take on things i am happy to do it. It would be set before Episode Ardyn Prologue and would focus on Somnus's and Ardyn's relationship. If you want to see that let me know. 
> 
> Thanks for reading everyone!!!


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